Introduction

1.       The Parable of the Prodigal Son describes two kinds of sinners.

a.       The prodigal son is a picture of people who are guilty of the sins of the flesh.

b.      The older brother is a picture of those who are guilty of sins such as pride, self-righteousness and criticism.

2.      We could see the sins of the prodigal son but we could not see the sins of his older brother.

3.      The prodigal son is a picture of sinners who gathered around Jesus to hear Him speak (Lk 15:1).

         The old brother is a picture of the Pharisees and Scribes who were very good at criticising others, but failed to judge their own hearts.

4.      As we study the character of the older brother in this passage, we notice that many things were wrong with him.

a.       He was a stubborn man who wanted to have his own way.

(1)     He was angry with the brother and refused to join in the celebration of the homecoming of his brother.

(2)     He was angry because he was not getting his own way.

b.      People, today, are doing the same thing.

I.    Ungrateful  to  his  Father

Let us see how this son treats his father.

1.       He was ungrateful and disobedient.

         Let’s hear what the older brother said to the father.

         Luke 15:29, 30

         “And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends (v.29):

But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf” (v.30).

2.      He was very rude in addressing his father.

         The older brother started out with, “Lo, these many years do I serve thee…” (Lk 15:29).

         He did not address his father politely.

3.      He forced his father to come out to talk to him.  He would not want to go in and talk to his father.

4.      He doubted his father’s generosity.

         He said, “Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid” (Lk 15:29).

5.      When we are stubborn, we show that we are ungrateful by our behaviour.

The Bible commands us to be thankful.

a.       No matter what the circumstances, we should be thankful to God.

         1 Thessalonians 5:18 say, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

b.      Are we ungrateful to our Heavenly Father?

         Remember:  All that He has is ours, through Jesus Christ.

         The Bible tells us that we are “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom 8:17).

II.   Unhappy  with  His  Work

1.       He looked like a model worker.

2.      His heart was wrong.

3.      There are many people who work hard, carrying with them a hidden agenda in their hearts.

a.       The older brother had a hidden agenda, and finally he admitted it (Lk 15:29, 30).

b.      The Bible teaches us that we should do the will of God from our hearts (Eph 6:6).

         Psalm 37:4 tells us, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

c.       The older brother had no joy in his work.

III.  Unforgiving  Toward  His  Brother

The older boy had a bad relationship with the father.  He also had a bad relationship with his brother.

1.       He was unforgiving toward his younger brother.

2.      Did you know what convicted his younger brother to return home?

Read Luke 15:17

“And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!”

3.      How strange that the older brother did not see his father’s goodness and generosity, yet his brother far away from home could see it.

a.       We may think that the older brother would be waiting for his brother to return home, but he wasn’t.

b.      The fact is that, he did not love his brother, and did not wish him to return home at all.

c.       Where was he, when his brother returned home?

d.      This is the tragedy of stubbornness, and wanting to have our own way.

e.       Beloved, do not carry malice in your heart.

         Do not carry grudges.

f.       As long as the younger brother was gone, the older brother looked good and happy.  He had more authority in the home.

(1)     But the father still loved his younger brother, and was glad to welcome him.  His father forgave his younger brother.

(2)     Ephesians 4:32 says, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

g.       The older brother was building walls instead of bridges.

3.      Conclusion

a.       We have learned from the older brother that stubbornness (wanting to have our own way) leads to loneliness.

b.      The loneliness of stubbornness is one of the worst kinds of loneliness.

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